Sweet Disease
by izabelprincess
Summary: A fatal virus known as "X" has overtaken America. As the disease evolves, a frighteningly powerful new being emerges. Naruto might be the only one willing to put his trust in such beings. AU, YAOI


**So yes a plot bunny has overtaken me… Guess what inspired this little piece? Swine flu! Swine flu you say? Unfortunately, I've been bed ridden with the dog gawn thing, and I wondered, what might happen if swine flu evolved…if maybe it could instead be a super human gene?! Of course not everyone can become invincible, but those that do…well that would just be something wouldn't it?!**

**This is going to be a bit dark, but I've really got a plot in my mind…just gotta get it on paper. And don't worry BA and Mystified are coming soon…really, I promise (empty promise I know, but not this time!) **

**Question of the Week (QW): Any good anime recommendations? I just got done with Black Butler, and welcome any thoughts!**

**Disclaimer: Really, would I be a poor college student if I owned Naruto?**

**Warning: This contains yaoi.**

**Please read and review! It greatly inspires the plot bunnies. **

**Summary: An infectious and fatal virus known as "X" has run rampant across America. People are issued by law to wear masks, and no cure is in sight. Humanity might have met it's match when "X" evolves into a new type of terror. Naruto might be the only one willingly to put his trust in the powerful, yet frightening beings. **

**Sweet Disease**

**(Chapter 1) **

There was such a weird smell in the air. Even inside the store, it wafted in. Not particulary bad, not especially good. Just odd and different. Like when the air is tinged with smoke or the scent of perfume. Something had been added. Naruto tried his best to ignore it, he looked at his watch, and adjusted his mask. He wondered how such a vulnerable piece of paper wrapped around his mouth was supposed to prevent him from the sickness, the unknown disease that had become an epidemic. He put the fallen skis back on the rack.

_So many people…_He watched as a little boy and his mother left through the store's doors. That was the best thing about working in an outdoors store. He was able to take people to a place that was no longer available to the younger generations. Naruto could remember times when he was able to rock climb and go sailing when he was smaller. Nowadays, very few people even knew how to do such activities. Fear prevented them from trying. According to the experts, the more you were outside, the longer you hung around mother nature, the greater the risks you had of catching X. He guessed it was Mother's Natures way of payback for years of pollution.

Naruto was hardly one to be scared, even with the threat of catching X. He loved being outside, the tranquility that came with loosing yourself in the wilderness, the wind screaming at your ears fifty feet off the ground, with only a harness keeping you safe. And he couldn't be separated from something he loved, even at the risks of getting the disease.

He grabbed his things, and waved goodbye to the small girl working the cash register, Hinata. She was such a sweet girl. He'd only recently learned that her cousin, Nehi-or maybe it was Neji?, had caught X. Naruto was known for being honest, but he didn't dare ask Hinata about it. She was sensitive, and he wasn't sure how she would handle talking openly about such news.

Naruto sniffed again. _It smells so much stronger outside. I can't place it. _He walked at a leisurely pace to the bus stop, throwing some pocket change into a familiar homeless man's cup, and speaking a polite hello to the woman who worked at a ramen stand. He was in no rush to catch the city bus. A wonderful aspect of Denver, was that city bus stops were maybe ten-fifteen minutes a part. He had no immediate plans, other than hanging out with his best friend, Kiba, tonight. He figured he'd be okay. He looked at his wrist watch. _It's only 5:40. _He snorted. Kiba was no stickler for punctuality. He neared the bus stop, and hung back. He watched a boy younger than him, someone he'd recognized from the shop, twiddling with his mask. He ran a hand through his unruly, blonde hair. If he remembered correctly, his grandfather was someone important, but it was slipping his mind _why _he was such a big wig.

"Stupid thing, doesn't even fit." He heard him mumble. Naruto, sighed, and walked over to the struggling kid.

"Need some help?" He asked politely.

"_No, _I just…the dumb thing is too big for me." Though he didn't have any siblings, Naruto knew from working with child customers that sometimes you had to overlook their attitudes. He ignored his complaint, and tied a knot in the mask to make it fit tighter.

"There you go, should be better." The little boy felt the back of his head. _He could use a hair cut. _The scruff of black hair in a ponytail probably had something to do with his mask not fitting.

"Thanks, uh…"

"Naruto, at your service."

"I'm Konohamaru, you work at the Outdoors shop, right? I knew I remembered you. You talked my granddad into letting me go rock climbing. Man, it was so cool!"

Naruto smiled his trademark grin. It was always nice to bring people happiness. Even if he was only selling the equipment. He drifted off during Konohamaru's rant, at the sight of a hunched over man sitting in the metallic shelter the bus stop offered. His dark hair was fell over his face, and sweat glistened on his pale skin. He loosened his business ty. Naruto couldn't see his face, but it looked like he was about to throw up.

The bus wheels screeches behind him. Naruto walked up to the man, now gripping the pole as if it was his life line.

"Um, do you need some help?"

His head snapped up. Crimson eyes met blue ones. Startled he stepped back, and blinked. Instead his gaze was dark as midnight. Naruto shook his head. _I could've sworn. _

"I don't need your fucking help."

His body slammed into Naruto's as he brushed pass him. _I guess wounded pride really is motivation to carry on. _

"Fine then, bastard," he mumbled. A small hand wrapped around his forearm. He looked down to see his new friend/former customer beside him.

"Don't worry about that guy. He's just a suit in a bad mood. You're way more awesome." The two of them waited politely for the flow of people to get off the bus before getting on. Naruto paid special mind to sit as far away from the rude jerk as possible. Much to his satisfaction, the man was holding his mask to him, as if in pain or for fear up vomiting in the city bus. He smiled to himself. _Serves him right, for being such an asshole. _He felt a bit guilty at the thought. Naruto had a sturdy immune system, and rarely got sick. _I guess I'm the jerk now. _

Konohamaru was continuing on about his rock climbing expedition with Naruto paying only half attention. His eyes roamed the plastic seats of the bus. He watched an old man reading a newspaper, a woman on the cell phone. It was all normal, except for the paper masks. It got to him every now and then how rotten it had become. People infected with X weren't allowed to go outside. With a 65% fatality rate and being highly contagious it wasn't hard to imagine why it was so dangerous. The ambiguity of it was equally frightening. There were no defined causes, which meant anyone, from the rich to the poor, could be infected. He'd always had a good immune system and rarely got sick, but he was realistic enough to understand that he too could catch X.

He leaned slightly against Konohamaru as the bus lurched forward. He gripped a greasy pole to stable himself. He watched the autumn trees and buildings pass. A faint darkness and familiar fog was beginning to cover the city. _Soon it's bound to snow. _Colorado was in the inbetween phase. A cold front was steadily pouring in the aftermath of a warm summer. Naruto sneezed. The weird smell became particularly potent. _It smells fresh, like ripe tomatoes or a new book. _He sneezed a second time. _Damn allergies. _

"Bless you. So I really want to go skiing this winter, but I don't know anything about it. Do you do any kind of tutoring?"

He rubbed his nose.

"Yeah, actually. I'm really better at snowboarding, but if you prefer I could set you up with a girl I work with, and she can-"

_Screech. _Naruto stumbled forward onto the grimy floor as the bus driver slammed on his breaks. Konohamaru yelped slightly, and with a thud landed on top of him. In a daze, he remained on the floor as the lights dimmed. His forehead throbbed. Gently, he touched it, and felt a sticky wetness. Groans echoed throughout the bus. The weight on top of him, rolled off, but he stayed stunned on the floor, waiting for the vibrating in his head to subside.

"Naruto? Hey, Naruto you okay?"

He nodded numbly to Konohamaru. He watched the boy's face pale at the wound on his head. _I hope it's not that bad. _His eyes connected with the jerk from earlier, sitting in the back. This time Naruto was sure he saw it. The man was no longer hunched over. He stood erect, and his eyes, Naruto was positive, were burning red.

He closed his eyes at painful lurch, followed by the nasty sound of nails scrapping glass. Vaguely he heard a woman screaming, followed by a man's terrified yell. It wasn't long before he recognized Konohamaru's shrill screams.

He was getting lightheaded fast. He blinked back the pain, and watched the panic-stricken faces of the people around him. Whatever was so frightening was behind his crippled body. The only calm one was the man standing in the back of the bus. He watched as man struggled to open up the bus doors. He picked up on the bending and tearing of metal. From above him he felt a whoosh of air. _Something tore off the top?! _He breathed shakily, and raised his head to meet whatever terror.

A tall, lean man with eery red hair was standing on top of what was left of the bus. In his hand was an impossibly large piece of metal. As if it were light as a feather he tossed it aside, and leap gracefully inside the bus. He was beautiful, but frighteningly so. His eyes were a translucent aqua, and his skin the color of paper. The driver of the bus stumbled passed Naruto, in favor of the exit. The man was in front of him in an instant.

"What the hell…what the hell…what the freaking hell are you?!"

Naruto watched his face twist keenly into an evil sneer. His voice was monotone, but enchanting.

"Why I'm a human like you. Only hundred times better."

With ease he drove a singe finger into the man's right eye socket. As if he wore a rag doll, he tossed his body aside. It landed too close to Naruto. Breathing heavily, he pulled Konohamaru's face into his light jacket. _This is nothing for a kid to see. _Not even bothered by killing the man, he wiped his index finger off on the dying man's clothes. He could hear the passengers behind him, fruitlessly attempting to open the bus doors. _This guy…he's actually going to kill us. _His wide eyes landed on the bus driver who'd been murdered. _Just like him. _

Adrenaline pulsed through his veins as the murderer, the _thing, _took graceful steps towards him. He didn't bother pulling his mask up. _That's not going to save me now. _His emotionless gaze, pinned Naruto, and he reached out for Konohamaru. Thinking quickly, he stood up shakily, and threw the boy behind him. The monster was the same height as him, but Naruto didn't doubt the strength the guy had. Blood trickled over his right eye, coloring his vision.

"Are you his protector?"

Naruto shook his head. He was unsure of how to compromise with this man. _Maybe I can negotiate? _The young man couldn't have been much older than himself.

"Interesting. He should be grateful. Are you afraid? Do you want to scream? That'd be fine with me."

He ached to punch the guy, right inbetween his sadistic teeth. He reached a hand out to swipe nontogentley at the blood seeping from Naruto's gash. To his disgust, he licked his finger clean.

"Well this is different. Most people carry a putrid stench, but yours is unique. Tell me, are you infected with X?"

Naruto hesitantly withdrawed, from the man keeping an eye on Konohamaru. From the corner of his eye he noticed a harshly cracked window. _If I can distract him, maybe I could give the others a decent chance to get away. _He squeezed Konohamaru's arm, praying that he could sense his plan. With a step backwards he prepared himself to kick in the window. Steadily, he raised his right leg. As if two steps ahead, whatever the man was used his freakish speed, and had one hand wrapped like steel around Naruto's neck. _Shit. _

"Aren't you a little hero? No, no if you were infected you would be just like me. You're…trash." He tightened his grip. Naruto gasped. He felt Konohamaru tugging at his sleeve, and pushing against the creature. He didn't budge. He was smiling, sadistically as if it were a game. _Is this really going to be it? _Naruto figured that if he was going to die early it would be by some freak accident while trying one of his elaborate ideas, like climbing without a harness or skydiving without a parachute. He felt Konohamaru back away. A black blur knocked him backwards.

He sputtered on the ground, coughing. The man in front of him was the same one with the red eyes. He had ripped off his mask.

"Oh, I found another one. I was starting to think I was the only person who evolved. So, can you feel it, too? The rush of power?"

The man in a suit, wafted a hand through his hair.

"I thought for sure I was going to die on this bus. My insides, felt like they were on fire, but now it's gone, and I only feel…very…"

"Strong?"

The crazed red head kneeled beside Naruto. He couldn't have been much older. His aqua eyes were calculating. His hand pressed against his wound, and Naruto hissed.

"I can taste the difference in us. I just want to dominate, to stretch, and let whatever this is free. That's why people with X aren't supposed to travel outside. Most have died, but today is different. I don't know why. But today is the beginning."

His hand was pushed aside again by the business man. Naruto felt like he was going to throw up. The guy was talking so casually, after…after… Naruto's gaze drifted to the bus driver. He fought back a wave of naseau.

"Don't you want to test out the new and improved you? This one's got a pretty face. I bet it'd be ever prettier when he screams." His velvet voice was so sweet it was sickening. Red eyes met Naruto's, and he cringed. _What is he going to do? Kill us all, just like this crazy man. _

"Killing these weak people, doesn't make us strong. It's only wasted time. Let's find the others."

_We're only "wasted time" to him?! Still, no need to provocate them. _Naruto wondered how many lives he had to be able to dodge such a deadly bullet so many times. The red head stood up, and waltz to the practically shattered window. As it were paper, he punched threw the window.

"Suit yourself, Mr. merciful."

"Sasuke."

"Pardon?"

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha." He sneered at Sasuke. Licking his forefinger he poised himself to leap outside.

"Gaara." Naruto breathed deeply as he disappeared. Silence encompassed the bus. No doubt everyone was hoping they would both leave. _Soon. _Naruto looked up at Sasuke. _I feel sorry for him. _Was this really what X turned people into?

_Sas-uke? _Even in the midst of fighting back unconciousness, Naruto recognized that name. He'd never visited the store, but he'd seen that name in the papers. He was the son of a prominent politician in Denver. When he'd gotten X, the family had been splashed across almost every Colorado newspaper. _He needs help. He hasn't killed anyone. He just needs proper treatment. _

Sasuke drifted towards where his new found companion had been. Crouched on the bus seat, he locked gaze with Naruto once more. _Stay away. We don't need your help. _He shook his head. It had to be the dizziness of his head wound. Sasuke's mouth hadn't moved, but he'd distinctly heard those words.

The bus tilted as he nearly vanished into the fog outside. The weight of all that had happened pressed Naruto down. His head drooped, and he fell into an uneasy sleep. Praying that what he'd witnessed had only been a dream, and that the mysterious Sasuke was only a fantasy.


End file.
